Where Does Love Begin?

Love - 

it is the craving of all. It is a common need; we must have love in order to be fulfilled in our life. The absence of love creates a vacuum, an endless hole within, a need that must find its abundant source. In all of creation, One meets the satisfaction of this definition... one and only one is the sufficient, boundless, and everlasting source--that one is God.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
 1John 4:7

BUT where does LOVE begin?

We seek love mostly in people, but after being hurt, rejected and treated ungracefully we convince ourselves that we will never be loved genuinely. We seek love with sex, desires, things, adventures and accomplishments searching to be fulfilled. We try to love over and over, but mess up so much, and get rejected.

So where do we start with love? Where does it begin?

GOD is birthed in us through Jesus. When we accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit--LOVE-- lives within us and enables us to love. GOD is LOVE. Without God we are unable to love.

I have friends that have not decided whether to believe that Jesus is God or that God is real or that God is what the need/want in their life. But truly the majority of their question result from their opinion, experience or understanding of religion and a church. They are left with a less than appealing view of God. So they are unsure they want to be part of "religion and churches" which they assume is equated to God Himself.

The big questions should be: Do they want to serve God's purpose instead of their own? Do they want to be surrendered to God allowing Him to live through them? Do they believe in God enough to devote their life to Him, to worship Him and to live for Him?

I am glad my friends understand these is the real question to ask. The shallow question often asked in churches about God is: Do you want Jesus in your heart? Do you want to go to heaven? Do you want to have your sins forgiven?

Of course when we surrender to God to be Lord of our life, Jesus as the Holy Spirit does come to live within us, we do go to heaven and our sins are forgiven, but these gracious gifts of love do not proceed or come to anyone without them FIRST giving themselves wholly to God.

Why are there so many problems in churches? Splits? Arguments? Backstabbing? Hurtful people? Power struggles?
Why do so many "Christians" habitually sin? Act hypocritical? Are two faced? Elitist? Judgmental? Stern? Hateful? Petty? Unforgiving?
"These kinds of people" who call themselves "Christians"--in fact-- do not have God, the source of LOVE, complete fulfillment, satisfaction, and confidence. What they claim is false and therefore misleading to the world and painfully God is misunderstood by many.

The Truth is: God is where LOVE begins! 

Do you long to have love, to be on a journey that will require suffering/sacrifice but will bring growth and many opportunities to love others, to know what it is to be totally loved and to overflow with the power to make a positive impression on those you know and beyond?

Know God and you will always be loved. God is the beginning of LOVE.


Love to you today,

Lindy Abbott